


A Boy among men and a man among boys

by thecat_13145



Category: Dead Poets Society (1989)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-05
Updated: 2014-10-05
Packaged: 2018-02-20 00:40:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2408825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecat_13145/pseuds/thecat_13145
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Later on, they will tell themselves that at least they tried to save him.</p>
<p>Like that will make it all right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Boy among men and a man among boys

Later on, they will tell themselves that at least they tried to save him.

Like that will make it all right.

James Dalton stood at the door to the classroom, looking around it. He hated this place. Hated it with a passion that he’s aware rivals his son’s for this place.

It reminded him of when he was young, when he believed that anything was possible. Before real life forced it’s self upon him.

He felt rather than heard Dan and Phil come up behind him and forced the devil may care grin that is virtually the only thing that his son has inherited from him.

“No tie in class, Mr Keating, 50 demerit points!”

John’s head jerked up like it’s on a spring. “Jim!” There was a moment before a familiar grin snakes its way across his face. It makes him look like one of the Greek Comedy theatre masks. “Smoking in the classroom, Mr Dalton, 100 demerit points.”

James forced a smile, making his way into the room, Phil falling into his left, Dan to his right. In a strange way, it emphasised those that were absent far more than anything else has.

“Always feel like a hypocrite when I lecture Charlie on it.” He said, stubbing the cigarette out in an ink pot, glancing around the room as through seeing it for the first time. “Can’t believe you came back here, John.”

It’s the truth. Not because he ever doubted that John would be a teacher and a fantastic one at that, but because John seemed far too young, too idealistic to be a teacher here.

It’s a nudge from Dan that makes him realise that John is talking.

“And as you told me, Jim, there’s not a lot of call for American English Teachers in London.” He was trying to smile still, but the expression looked like it was stapled across his face. A part of James wishes he’d had Isaac’s courage. To refuse any part of this.

But twenty years ago, he had being the backbone of the group, their strength. He had to be that now, especially as Phil was nudging at his shoulder glaring.

“John, we need to talk to you about something.”

John’s face changes as he takes in the suits they’re all wearing and probably finally makes a connection between the date and the reason that they’re here. Lord only knows, John only made it to Amelie’s funeral because Phil forced him in the suit and then in to the church.

“You need to resign.” Dan Pits pushed himself forward, hands on the desk. 

John’s face twisted in confusion and both James and Phil glared at Dan.

“Not need to," Phil Overstreets said, demonstrating the skills that make him the most feared and respected defence attorney in New York, “But I,” He looked around. “We would advise it.”

John’s face was as confused as a child’s. “What?”

James sank down. So that they were on a level. He remembered when the three months between them was enough to made John seem like an adult. Now he felt like their roles were reversed. He was the old man and John was the child.

“John, this is the sort of thing that can destroy a school. A death always leaves a mark against a school and the suicide of a student…” he shook his head. “That’s going to put off even the old boys like us.”

“Plus, Don Perry’s calling for your head.” Dan volunteered. “He was Stanley’s brother in law.”

“Stanley the tool” John shook his head. “Neil showed me a picture of him.” He sounded dreamy. 

James glanced desperately at Phil, who continued. “John, Don doesn’t have our background. You know that. He’s just an army doctor and when Stan…didn’t come home, he and Rebecca got the lot. That’s why he put such pressure on the kid, trying to convince everyone including him that he belonged.” He had drooped to be on a level with James, forcing his face into John’s. “John, Don Perry wants someone else to be responsible for his kid’s death. The school wants someone to be responsible. If you resign now, you’re just a teacher devastated by the loss of a student. If you wait,” He paused to try and empathise the seriousness of his point. “Then they will sack you. No other school will take you, a teacher whose being sacked from two schools, even if one of them was for breaking an out of date rule about women in the rooms. You know you were lucky to get a job here.”

John was shaking his head. “But the boys…?”

“They’ve got us.” Phil said. James manages not to snort.

Yeah, they’ve got him, an emotionally crippled man who couldn’t even save his own wife from the demons in her past, Phil, the youthful ideas of the scholarship boy twisted into a corporate fat cat lawyer and Dan, whose scarred face ruins the handsome looks that they once all envied. Is this the first time he’s being back to Helton since they graduate? He can remember Mrs Pitts standing at all major school events, but somehow he can’t remember Dan being there.

Only Isaac has achieved something that’s original, and James highly doubts that the Carpe Diem their Latin teacher spoke of included working on methods to destroy the world rather than let the commies win. Isaac once confided that he fears for the future Steven will inherit.

In the distance, a bell rang. Like the boys they once were, all three of them got quickly to their feet, dusting their knees.

John was still sitting at his desk.

Part of a phrase ran through James’s mind, “A man among boys and a boy among men.” Somehow, as they all look down on John it seems to fit.

“We have to…” Dan jerked his head and the three of them exited the classroom.

Dan paused outside, staring at the other two. “What do we do?”

Phil runs his hand through his hair. “Ace’s was right for once.” He muttered, using Isaac’s old nickname. “We have to try and protect our  
boys.”

James shook his head. “I don’t know if Charlie will let me.” 

Lord only knew Amelie never had. If she’d agreed to come with him sooner, maybe she’d be alive today and his son wouldn’t be here. Amelie would never have agreed to sending Charlie here. Charlie and Amelie had the same passion that seemed to threaten to burn them up from the inside. In Amelie, it had. Tortured by the memories of what she’d seen as a nurse over in Korea, she had tried to take her own and Charlie’s life. About the only comfort he had was that Charlie was too young to remember this and her. Four years later, she had finally got half her wish in the care of a “Rest home”.

Phil looked at him desperately. “At least we tried.”

It was only later in the chapel, that James realised the significance of the tenses, and that Phil probably hadn’t heard his reply at all.


End file.
